Candle-holder



n. BENKOVIC.

CAND'LE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. 1920.

1,39,,Q00 Patented Feb. 22,1921.

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Dmmini k Benkuvin:

PATENT.

FFHQJE- DOMINIK BENKOVIC. OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CANDLE-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

Application filed March 22, 1920. Serial No. 367,681.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOMINIK BENKOVIC, a citizen of Czecho-Slovakia, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Candle- Holders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in light supporting means, and pertains particularly to candle holders for use on Christmas trees and the like.

It is well known that at the present time the candle holders which are used on Christmas trees are very ineflicient, particularly in view of the fact that it is almost impossible to secure them to a tree in such a manner that the candles will remain upright. Even those which, after considerable difiiculty, are positioned to hold the candles upright, are thrown out ofthis position as soon as the branch of the tree begins to droop, consequently there is always danger of fire when the candle holders of ordinary construction are used on a Christmas tree.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a simply constructed candle holder which will automatically hold the candle carried thereby in upright position regardless of the position or inclination of the supporting means such as a branch of a tree or the like. The obvious disadvantages which are incident to the use of the ordinary Christmas tree candle holders is obviated by my invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can be manufactured quite inexpensively and consequently sold at a relatively slight cost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide candle holders in which the candle carrying member is an extended portion of the main supporting element which engages the Christmas tree limb or the like.

With these general objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be, hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 represents a substantially vertical sectional view of my improved candle holder, and

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the holder disposed in an upright position upon an in clined branch or the like.

Although the invention is designed primarily for use on Christmas trees, it is obvious that the principles thereof may be incorporated in candle or other like holders for use wherever it is necessary to retain such candle or the like in upright position. Therefore various changes may be made in the difierent parts of the illustrated embodiment of the invention without departng from the principles thereof or sacrific- 1ng any of the advantages. I Referring more particularly to the draw mg, it will be seen that the invention conslsts essentially of a light carrying member 1, a light carrying member supporting means 2, and means 3 for automatically retaining the member 1 in upright or vertical position. The light carrying member which receives a candle C consists of a coil of spring wire 4 having convolutions of a diameter substantially the same as that of the base of the candle C, and a cup or base plate 5 against which the bottom end of the candle seats. The means 2 and 3 are formed from a pair of wires 6 and 7 which are twisted together at one end as at 8, while the other ends are spaced apart and each has a weighted ball or other shaped member 9 secured thereto. Such an arrangement of the wires 6 and 7 provides a substantially inverted V-shaped member, the pendulum legs of which straddle a branch B or the like.

One of the wires forming said legs, for instance the wire 7, has its end portion adjacent the twist 8 soldered or otherwise secured as at 10 to the under side of the cup 5. The other wire 6 on the other hand, although extended laterally in the same manner as the end portion 10, is dis osed through a hole in the cup 5 and is connected to the lowermost convolution of the coil 4. This laterally extended part of the wire 6 is also soldered or similarly secured to the cup 5 to provide a rigid connection between the light carrying member supporting means and the light carrying member. In the preferred manner of constructing the holder, the wire 6 which forms one of the pendulum legs is a continuation of the wire forming the coil 4 as shown in Fig. 1.

When in use the article is placed over the branch B or other support so that the legs straddle thesame whereupon the axis of the candle holder 4 is automatically moved to vertical position by the weights 9. Thus even though the branch or support-B is continuously moving; the candle C will be retained in upright position. The disadvantages which have heretofore attended the use of lighted candles on Christmas trees are having their lower ends spaced apart, the upper end of one wire and the intermediate portion of the other wire immediately above the twisted portions being extended later ally in opposite directions and secured to said-base cup,;'the portion of said other wire above sald intermediate lateral portion being extended through said hole in the base cup and bent into a coil to receive a candle .or the like, and Weights on the free spaced lower ends of said leg wires whereby to maintain the aXis of said coil vertical.

In testimony that I claim the-foregoing I have hereunto set my-hand" at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

DOMINIK ENKOVIC, 

